Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) has threatened to pull out of talks to end IEBC stalemate and instead focus on demonstrations.

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Cord leader Raila Odinga in a statement faulted the detention of opposition legislators over hate speech, saying it was against freedom of speech.

Odinga demanded release of the MPs, failure to which Cord will resume demonstrations on Monday, June 20, 2016.

“We wish to draw the attention of Kenyans and the international community to the crisis of governance that is taking roots in our country.

This crisis is taking the form of a slow but steady slide to dictatorship through a crackdown on free speech in the name of national security and public order,” Odinga said Thursday evening.

“…the Members of Parliament who called on the State to guarantee the security of all Kenyans and challenged the President to play his rightful role as everyone’s president became accused of hate speech. Together with their colleagues whom they had complained against, they have been held incommunicado, essentially unofficially detained without trial.”

“Under the circumstances, Cord demands the immediate release of all its members of Parliament without charge or any other conditions failure of which we shall undertake the following:

1. We will resume our national demonstrations and protests on Monday, 20th June, 2016.

2. We will cease all engagements in dialogue in respect of IEBC and instead intensify the demonstrations and protests.

3. We will declare the CORD legislators to be political prisoners and hold a public meeting and a vigil at the Freedom Corner on Saturday, 18th June, 2016.

4. We shall hold a prayer service for our political prisoners in Machakos town on Sunday 19th June, 2016.”

Detained Cord MPs are Junet Mohammed (Suna East), Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba), Women Representatives Aisha Jumwa (Kilifi), Florence Mutua (Busia) and Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama.

Jubilee MPs Ferdinand Waititu (Kabete), Moses Kuria (Gatundu South), Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati) are also in police custody for allegedly making hate speech remarks.